Published on: 04/10/2021

League of Legends Betting

Your Guide to League of Legends Betting

League of Legends is the definition of a powerhouse. Released by Riot Games in late 2009, this multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) title took the gaming industry with its explosive gameplay, wide cast of playable characters, and inclusive free-to-play business model. Nowadays, League of Legends is one of the most popular game in the world and its competitive scene towers above that of every other esport.

With countless professional matches taking place every year, thousands of fans are drawn to the idea of betting on League of Legends competitions like the LCS, LEC, LCK, MSI, and LoL Worlds. After all, there’s no better way to spice up your viewing experience than to back your favourite teams, players, and personalities. And if you have enough game knowledge, you can make some money in the process.

That being said, the League of Legends scene is vast, and it can be difficult to know where to start if you’re looking at it from the outside. This is where our guide comes in. We compiled everything you need to know about League of Legends betting sites, markets, and strategies on how to get an edge over your bookmaker. So strap yourself in and let’s get right to it!

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A quick and easy introduction to pro League of Legends gameplay

First things first: if you want to be good at betting on League of Legends, you need to know how the game is played. Much like other MOBA titles, LoL has the simple premise of two teams of five battling each other in an effort to destroy the core enemy structure – their Nexus. Yet, there are infinite ways of reaching this goal.

Every match starts with the pick/ban phase where players select champions—playable characters with unique stats, traits, and abilities. Champions can level up to unlock new spells and gain gold to purchase in-game items that amplify their strengths and negate their weaknesses. Moreover, all champions are split into five roles (top lane, jungle, mid lane, bot lane, and support) that have their own ways of influencing the map and interacting with other positions.

However, it’s only when these moving parts come together that the real magic happens. The highest level of League of Legends is a grand spectacle of skill and strategy. Players are constantly trading blows and looking for openings to outplay their opponents—all while working together with their teammates and playing around their win conditions. Combine that with secondary objectives like turrets, dragons, inhibitors, and Baron Nashor, and it’s not exactly surprising that competitive League of Legends continues to be such a fresh and unique experience. And that doesn’t even account for different game plans.

Every professional team has its own playstyle and identity. Some prefer to pick their enemies apart through a string of duels and skirmishes, others put their stock into challenging their foes in 5v5 teamfights, and others elect to outmaneuver their opponents through splitpushing tactics and intricate objective setups. The best thing about this is that there’s no correct way to play League of Legends. All of the abovementioned teams have a chance to take the W, and it’s this perpetual clash of wildly different playstyles that makes LoL esports so exciting.

What are the most common League of Legends markets and how should you approach them?

The best way to understand League of Legends markets is to view them as opportunities. Each market refers to a different type of wager you could place at LoL betting sites, and usually, the more options you have, the higher your chances of finding a good deal. Of course, variety isn’t always the spice of life. A large number of offers can be overwhelming—especially if you’re still at the very beginning of your esports gambling career. Still, it’s a good idea to be aware of the most popular markets for League of Legends tournaments, so here’s a quick breakdown:

Match Winner & Map Winner

Match winner and map winner markets are the most straightforward bets you could make. The only thing you need to do is predict a winner in an isolated game (or a series of games) between two teams, and if you’re correct, you’ll get your payout. Straightforward doesn’t mean easy, though. LoL esports betting is a difficult beast to tackle, and there’s a lot that goes into knowing which team will come out on top.

Correct Score

A correct score wager is the advanced version of the match/map winner bet. You still need to guess which team has the upper hand, but the margin for error is smaller since you also need to predict the exact score at the end of the series. Most bookmakers make up for the high risks with generous LoL betting odds, so this market can be very rewarding in the right circumstances. Keep in mind that correct score bets only apply to Bo3 and Bo5 series, so if you’re gambling on the LCS or the LEC, you won’t get a chance to make them until the playoffs.

Handicap

A handicap bet might seem confusing at first glance, but it’s quite simple once you get the idea behind it. Think of it as a match winner wager, but the team you’re betting on has a number of virtual wins (or losses) added to its score. For example, let’s say you place a +1.5 handicap bet on SK Telecom T1 in their Bo3 series against Griffin. If SKT T1 win the series 2-0 or 2-1, you’ll get your payout as usual.

However, you’ll also get paid even if they lose the series 2-1 because your handicap adds 1.5 wins to SKT’s score. The only scenario when you don’t get any money is if SK Telecom T1 lose 2-0 since the +1.5 handicap won’t be enough to outweigh Griffin’s victories. In short, handicap bets is a great way of managing risks during your League of Legends betting ventures.

Objective-Focused Bets

Objective-focused bets revolve around the first team to achieve a certain milestone or capture a specific in-game objective. This includes markets like first team to score First Blood, first team to destroy a turret, first team to kill a dragon, first team to slay Baron Nashor, etc. Winning these wagers requires a decent amount of game knowledge, as you need to understand concepts like team identities, lane presence, and objective control. Another thing to note is that objective-focused bets are perfect for live betting since you have the option of tailoring your wagers to the in-game situation.

How to win more bets and improve your League of Legends betting

Let’s be frank: gambling has always had a degree of randomness to it. And while this variance can add a certain thrill to the betting process, it can also make it difficult to pinpoint mistakes and hone your strategies. With that in mind, here are 3 actionable tips that will make you better at betting on League of Legends today!

1. Focus on one region

We’ve alluded to this at the beginning of our guide, but the League of Legends scene is huge—so much so that it’s nigh impossible to follow every tournament and competition. Hence, it’s a good idea to focus on one thing at a time. The best way of achieving this would be to follow local competitions like the LVP UKLC and the LEC. That being said, don’t be shy to focus on a different region if you find it more interesting—after all, esports is supposed to be fun!

2. Learn to work with stats

It’s no secret that stats can act be a foundation of your gambling strategies. Things like damage shares, kill/death/assist (KDA) ratios, kill participation percentages, and CS per minute values convey precious information that will help you separate the good players from the bad ones. Meanwhile, variables like average game time, first blood rate, and average gold difference at 15 minutes are great for getting a better grasp of team identities. You can find some of these stats on LoL betting sites, but we suggest you visit analytical sites like Oracle’s Elixir and Leaguepedia to get even more data.

3. Read up on expert opinions

Let’s say you followed the above mentioned tips but you still don’t know what to make of a particular matchup. You could just take a shot in the dark. Or you could turn to people that know what they’re talking about. The LoL esports scene is filled with experts that spend most of their day watching, thinking, and analyzing professional League of Legends. Most of them are eager to share their findings on Twitter, Reddit, and YouTube, and there’s no better way to take your League of Legends betting game to the next level than to use this information to your advantage.

Other LoL betting sites

Every veteran punter knows how difficult it is to find quality LoL betting sites. The market is stacked with different bookmakers, and it’s easy to get lost in the sea of varying gambling offers. On top of that, you have to evaluate a multitude of factors like esports odds, bonuses, reputability, payment methods, live betting markets, and League of Legends skin betting options. This process can be very time-consuming—which is exactly why we’ve prepared a list of the top 3 League of Legends gambling sites!

Betway

Few bookmakers can match Betway’s esports gambling offer. For starters, this operator sets new customers up with a risk-free bet up to £30, and that’s a perfect welcome bonus for anyone looking to try betting on League of Legends without being afraid of losing their entire bankroll. Throw in fair odds, intuitive design, and responsive customer service, and Betway makes a very compelling case for itself.

But the real reason to sign up at this platform is offer diversity. The LoL esports coverage is wide, and you’ll have no issues gambling on major leagues (LCS, LEC, LCK), minor leagues (TCL, LCL, LVP), and international tournaments (MSI, Worlds, and Rift Rivals). Most importantly, the vast markets make it much easier to find generous offers and great value betting opportunities. The only thing you won’t find here is League of Legends skin betting, but considering that’s equally true for all other bookmakers, we won’t be taking away any points from Betway for this shortcoming.

William Hill

William Hill has long since become a household name in the UK. Founded in 1934, this operator is the hallmark of professionalism and integrity, making it very attractive to anyone who’s searching for a safe and secure gambling platform. Sure, League of Legends is tucked away under the Esports tab, so you have to make a couple of extra clicks to get to the LoL esports betting offers. However, the coverage is broad enough to include both high-profile competitions like the LCS and smaller tournaments like the EU Masters, which is always a plus in our book.

William Hill’s betting bonus is very similar to that of Betway’s, but instead of a single £30 risk-free bet, you get three £10 risk-free bets to use at your discretion. The only obvious downside is market variety. You will a hard time making anything other than simple match winner bets on this platform, but if that doesn’t faze you, William Hill can be an excellent place for League of Legends betting.

888Sport

888Sport is another gambling platform to consider. This bookmaker instantly greets its customers with a slick design and an already familiar welcome offer of up to £30 in risk-free bets. The markets are quite broad, and the LoL betting odds tend to be very generous whenever you’re wagering on the underdogs. With that, you can make a lot of money if you get a couple of good reads on skewed matchups.

That’s not the only thing 888Sport brings to the table either. This bookie comes with an exceptional in-play betting section, and you’ll find plenty of opportunities to gamble on live League of Legends matches. Last but not least, 888Sport’s non-existent fees, quick transaction times, and a multitude of supported payment methods make it very easy to get money on (and off) the site. The only thing that could make this platform better is League of Legends skin betting, but it’s hard to expect 888Sport to come out with a feature that no one else managed to implement.